18 December 2011 Last updated at 13:57 GMT Philippines flood toll passes 650

The number of people killed in the Philippines by floods triggered by Tropical Storm Washi has risen to 650.

Soldiers and volunteers are still searching for the 800 people reported missing on southern Mindanao island.

Many were trapped in their homes as the flash floods coincided with high tides. In some places entire villages are reported to have been swept away.

Authorities have been criticised for not giving enough warning of the storm's severity.

However the state disaster agency said adequate warnings had been given to officials and residents three days before it reached land on Friday.

The BBC's Kate McGeown in the capital Manila says most of the 20 typhoons and major storms that hit the country each year affect the north - and many in Mindanao were unprepared for the severity of Tropical Storm Washi.

Last US troops withdraw from Iraq

he last convoy of US troops to leave Iraq has entered Kuwait, nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The final column of about 100 armoured vehicles carrying 500 soldiers crossed the southern Iraqi desert overnight.

At the peak of the operation there were 170,000 US troops and more than 500 bases in Iraq.

Nearly 4,500 US soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis have died since the US-led campaign began in 2003.

The operation has cost Washington nearly $1 trillion (£643bn).

US forces ended combat missions in Iraq in 2010 and had already handed over much of their security role.

"(It's) a good feeling... knowing this is going to be the last mission out of here," said Private First Class Martin Lamb, part of the final "tactical road march" out of Iraq.

"Part of history, you know - we're the last ones out."

Vaclav Havel, Czech leader and playwright, dies at 75

Vaclav Havel, the Czech Republic's first president after the Velvet Revolution against communist rule, has died at the age of 75.

The former dissident playwright, who suffered from prolonged ill-health, died on Sunday morning, his secretary Sabina Tancecova said.

As president, he presided over Czechoslovakia's transition to democracy and a free-market economy.

He oversaw its peaceful 1993 split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Havel first came to international fame as a dissident playwright in the 1970s through his involvement with the human rights manifesto Charter 77.

Hooligans who came with Army and police attack Ajith Kumara M P’s vehicle in Jaffna when he went to participate in protests

A massive protest was staged despite immense obstructions from the MaRa regime today (17), in Jaffna demanding the Govt. to immediately release Lalith Kumara Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan who were abducted in Jaffna.

When people’s struggle campaign National Organizer Ajith Kumara M P was travelling to take part in the protest , a group in civil attire with the security of the Army and police had attacked him , causing severe damage to his vehicle. When the police who were at the venue were requested to intervene to stop this violence and attack , they have replied that they have no powers to stop it.

French banker says UK should be downgraded first

The chairman of the French central bank, Christian Noyer, has said ratings agencies should downgrade the UK before France because its economy is weaker.

US agency Standard and Poor's recently warned Franceits rating could suffer over the eurozone crisis and downturn.

"The downgrade does not appear to me to be justified when considering economic fundamentals," Mr Noyer said.

The British Government responded by saying the UK had a credible plan for dealing with its deficit.

Speaking to French regional newspaper Le Telegramme, Mr Noyer said any downgrade should start with Britain "which has more deficits, as much debt, more inflation, less growth than us and where credit is slumping".

Britain was not identified as a credit risk by Standard and Poor's in its report earlier this month.

The spokesman for UK Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Credit ratings are a matter for credit rating agencies but we've put in place a credible deficit reduction plan and you can see that credibility in the UK's bond yields."

Bangladesh man 'admits' cutting off wife's fingers

Human rights groups in Bangladesh have demanded a severe punishment for the husband of a young wife who allegedly cut off most of her right hand.

Police say Rafiqul Islam, 30, attacked her because she pursued higher education without his permission.

They say Mr Islam, a migrant worker, admitted to the crime shortly after returning home from the Gulf.

However there has been no independent confirmation from the suspect that he carried out the attack.

The incident is one of a number of acts of domestic violence targeting educated women in recent months.

Police say that Mr Islam, who works in the United Arab Emirates, tied up his 21-year-old wife, Hawa Akther Jui, earlier this month. He then taped her mouth and cut off the five fingers.

UK officials 'to observe negotiations' over EU deal

The UK has been asked to play a role in negotiations over an EU-wide fiscal pact despite refusing to sign up to the proposed agreement.

No 10 said the UK would participate in "technical discussions" over the accord since, although not an active participant, it wanted it to succeed.

The Financial Times reported that UK officials might have "observer status".

This would enable the UK to monitor discussions on the role EU institutions may play in enforcing the deal.

David Cameron's decision to veto a treaty change of all 27 EU members last week led to a huge row between the Conservatives and Lib Dem partners.

The UK declined to sign up to the agreement - which proposes central oversight of EU members' budgets, tougher sanctions for overspending and moves towards tax harmonisation - because of a lack of satisfactory safeguards on financial regulation.